Godly
adj.kind, thoughtfulformal
What it means
Deeply devoted to God and guided by the moral demands of that faith.
Reach for it when praising religious character inside a context that shares the term's theology
Neighbors remembered her as a godly woman whose faith appeared in practical care.
Choose between these
6- warm
saintly
extraordinary patience or goodness invites affectionate praise
not when Saintly exaggerates ordinary decency and may imply formal sainthood.
- professional
sincere, committed religious belief is the exact point
not when Devout does not claim that the person's moral judgments are correct.
- professional
ethical character matters without making a theological claim
not when Virtuous removes the person's relationship to God.
- formal
the tradition regards a person or thing as sacred
not when Holy is stronger than godly and can imply consecration or divine status.
- formal
pious
visible devotion and religious observance are central
not when Pious can sound ironic or suggest a show of virtue.
- formal
conduct conforms to a stated moral or religious standard
not when Righteous can sound smug and may be used outside religious devotion.
Said against
3- ungodly
- impious
- profane
It naturally appears in
3- godly person
A godly person, in his view, welcomed correction as well as praise.
- godly life
The memoir presents a godly life through daily acts of mercy.
- godly counsel
She sought godly counsel from leaders she trusted.
The word family
1Usage notes
Godly is a theological judgment, not a universal synonym for good. Use it only when the relevant faith context is clear.